sMoRTy71.com: ESPN NHL 2K5 is great!

ESPN NHL 2K5 is great!
I'm a big fan of hockey video games. In fact, I recently repurchased a Sega Genesis console just so I could play the greatest hockey video game of all-time, NHL '94.

Until yesterday though, the only other hockey game I had purchased since NHL '94 was NHL Hitz 2002. Hitz was the only other hockey game that seemed to capture the more arcade-like qualities that made NHL '94 so fun and easy to play. All of the later EA versions in the NHL series had swung too far towards realism for my tastes.

Anyway, yesterday, I decided to take a chance on ESPN NHL 2K5 (mainly due to the $19.99 price tag and my experience with their NFL and NBA games). I am very glad that I did. The game is fantastic. ESPN has managed to marry the fast-paced fun style of play that I liked in NHL '94 and NHL Hitz 2002 with the more realistic presentation that have made its NFL and NBA games so good.

The only thing that disappointed me about NHL 2K5 is the fact that it doesn't support high-definition resolutions. Since it is limited to 480p, the edges of objects are often jagged. This is especially noticeable on the ESPN logo that is displayed prior to each game.

However, after the game starts, the pace and excitement of the game makes you forget about the graphics. I ended up spending about 4 hours playing it both offline and online. Even though I lost all four games I played online (seems people have already found enough trick plays to guarantee victory in most situations), I had a blast.